A family from Porthleven is appealing for doll's clothes to dress their son in after he arrived almost three months early.

Little Theodore Larder was born by emergency caesarean last month weighing just 2.17lb, at only 29 weeks gestation.

After spending some time at Derriford Hospital, he was transferred to the Royal Cornwall Hospital's neonatal unit where he continues to thrive.

However, with a weight of still only 3lb even standard tiny baby clothes are still too big to fit him and so doll's clothes are the only way forward at this moment.

This has led to an appeal on social media for suitable items, with Leigh Yates from the Sparkle Foundation writing on their behalf: "Does anyone have any top quality doll's clothes? If not please donate to help Theodore’s parents with travel costs etc as he will be in Treliske for some time.

"The Sparkle Foundation team are helping but this little darling and parents need the love and support of Porthleven, the essence of our community."

He currently needs 3lb to 4lb footless baby grows, as he wears a probe on his foot to measure his heart and blood pressure.

He will then need 4lb to 5lb full baby grows and vests for when he comes home.

Although Jazmine and Elliott have been told to aim for his due date, which would have been February 25, it may be possible if he is stable and well enough for him to go home at 37 weeks - just three weeks from now.

He can already roll from his front to his side and will soon be transferred to a normal cot with a heated mattress rather than an incubator.

Theodore's mum Jazmine, who lives in the port with her partner Elliott Fairbairn, said: "The neonatal have their own baby grows but it makes it that bit more special him having clothes that are from home, that I can bring home and wash, and will make me feel that little bit more like a mum.

"Doll's clothes seem to be the only thing that I can find small enough. But even then it's girly most of the time.

His dad's been and bought one of the premature baby outfits and it was huge."

Clothes can be dropped off by emailing moomincosmetics@gmail.com or alternatively donations of money can be made via gofundme.com/help29weekbabytheodore.

Theodore was born early after Jazmine was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. She and her unborn child were immediately put on a foetal monitor at hospital, but it was not until two hours of tests had gone by that staff realised they had been picking up her heartbeat rather than the baby's. Theodore's had dropped to 62 beats per minute at its lowest - the normal for a baby being between 130 and 160 beats.

Within 20 minutes Jazmine was on the operating table and it was then they realised there was no fluid left in the amniotic sac, the placenta was no longer providing oxygen and it had detached from the wall of the uterus.

Thankfully Theodore pulled battled through all this and his parents are eagerly awaiting the day they can take him home.

"He was literally a miracle," said Jazmine.